Screw and washer assembly machine



March 7, 1944. o, J. POUPl TCH 2,343,798

SCREW AND WASHER ASSEMBLY MACHINE Filed July 1, 1939 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 /c;ij.

IN VENTOR.

Mam}! 1944. o. J. POUPITCH SCREW AND WASHER ASSEMBLY MACHINE ,Filed July 1, 1939 10 Sheets-Shqet 2 i /C;-.

INVENTOR.

sag 470 @yfm' ATTORNEYJ.

March 7, 1944. o. .1. POUPITCH SCREW AND WASHER ASSEMBLY MACHINE Filed Julyl, 1939 10 Sheets-Sheet 3- INVENTOR.

March 7,' 1944. J pou rrc 2,343,798

SCREW AND WASHER ASSEMBLY MACHINE v 11 m ATTORNEYS.

March 7, 1944.

0. J. PQUPITCH SCREW AND WASHER ASSEMBLY MACHINE Filed July '1, 1959 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 7, 1944. o. JIVIPOUPITCH l0 Sheets-Sheet 6 SCREW AND WASflER ASSEMBLY MACHINE Filed July 1, 1939 March 7, 1944; E Q J PQUPIITCH 2,343,798

SCREW AND WASHER ASSEMBLY MACHINE Filed July 1, 1939 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 f /I/// ,366 j I March 7, 1944. o. Jl POUPITCH SCREW AND WASHER ASSEMBLY MACHINE Filed July 1, 1939 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 ATTORNEY6' March 7,1944; 0. J. FIOUPIYTCH 2,343,798

SCREW AND WASHER ASSEMBLY MACHINE Filed July 1, 1959 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 l INVESTOR. 54 9660 vwzpazgpuck Patented Mar. 7, 1944 SCRElV AND WASHER ASSEIVEBLY MACHINE Ougljesa J. Poupitch, Chicago, 111., assignor to Illinois Tool Works, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 1, 1939, Serial No. 282,517

33 Claims.

This invention relates to a screw and washer assembly machine for manufacturing assembled units of screws and washers and more particularly to a mechanism or machine which may be readily attached to or associated with any standard screw working machine for converting said machine into a machine for manufacturing combined screw and washer units.

It is an object of this invention to provide a relatively simple, compact and light-weight mechanism including its own source of power which may be readily attached to a standard thread rolling machine whereby in advance of the thread rolling mechanism of the standard machine, each screw blank is assembled with a washer so that upon rolling of the threads, each washer will be held in permanently assembled relation to each screw element.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine or mechanism including means for feeding washers to an assembly mechanism whereby the washers are assembled with screws being fed by the feeding or conveying mechanism of a standard thread rolling machine or similar machine or whereby the washers are assembled with screws fed thereto by a mechanism forming a part of an assembly machine, and which assembly mechanism or machine may be attached to or positioned in relation with such standard machine that with a minimum of expense the standard machine may be converted into a machine for manufacturing combined screw and washer units.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism or machine of the above stated character having readily adjustable parts possessing in the aggregate great flexibility of adjustment so that the mechanism or machine may readily be associated in proper operative relation with all or with substantially all, standard thread rolling machines, and which may be adjusted with ease to accommodate different sizes of screws and Washers.

Applicants invention further contemplates the provision of an assembling machine or attachment which may be associated with a standard screw working machine, which assembly machine or attachment includes a device which carries the washers from a container to an instrumentality which telescopes each washer with a screw element and which device then carries the telescoped washers and screw elements to the screw element feeding means of the standard screw working machine.

Another object of applicants invention is. to

provide in an assembling machine mechanism or attachment wherein means is provided for preventing feeding of screw elements if a washer is not presented to the assembling device at the time such device would normally operate; for suspending operation of an assembling device which carries washers from a container to the assembling device if the device which carries the assembled units from the assembly device becomes filled with such units, or if an assembled unit becomes jammed in said device.

It is also an object of applicants invention to provide in a screw and washer assembling mechanism or device means for feeding washers from a container to a point of assembly and which device returns the washers to the container if no screw element is fed to the point of assembly at the proper instant.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in vertical elevation of one form of standard thread rolling machine having attached thereto a combined washer feeding and assembly mechanism embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in vertical elevation of a rear portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along the lines 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in plan and partly in section taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken substantially along the line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 6-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along the line '!1 of Fig. 5. I

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of an attachment for facilitating the adjustment of a feeding and guiding chute.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken at right angles to Fig. 6 and substantially along the line Illlli of Fig. 4.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged view in section taken along the line |1H of Fig. 14.

Fig. 14 is a section taken along the line l4-!4 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary section taken along the line I-|5 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary section taken along the line l6-i6 of Fig. 10, but with certain parts broken away for purposes of illustration.

Figs. 17 and 18 are fragmentary views of a portion of Fig. 14 showing with said Fig. 14 the position of certain parts in accommodating screws and washers of different sizes.

Fig. 19 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along the line l9-I9 of Fig. 16.

Fig. 20 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along the line 20-20 of Fig. 16.

Fig. 21 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along the line 2l2| of Fig. 6.

Fig. 22 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along the line 22-22 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 23 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 23-23 of Fig. 21.

Fig. 24 is a fragmentary vertical elevation of a screw blank and lock washer assembly prior to to the rolling of a thread on the blank.

Fig. 25 is a fragmentary vertical elevation similar to Fig. 24, but with a thread rolled on the blank.

Fig. 26 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along the line 2626 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 27 is a section taken along the line 21-21 of Fig. 26.

Fig. 28 is a detailed view in perspective illustrating the jaw carrying member forming a part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 26.

Figs. 29, 30 and 31 are detailed fragmentary views in part illustrative of the operation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 26.

Fig. 32 is a detailed view in perspective of a screw carrying and clamping member forming a part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 26.

Figs. 33 and 34 are views similar to Fig. 26 for illustrating the operation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 26.

Fig. 35 is a view in vertical elevation of a mechanism or machine embodying in addition to the combined washer feeding and assembly mechanism of Figs. 1 to 34 a screw feeding mechanism upon a common support.

Fig. 36 is a fragmentary view in vertical elevation of the opposite side of the machine from that shown in Fig. 35.

Fig. 37 is a section taken substantially along the line 31-31 of Fig. 36.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 34 of the drawings, a machine which forms one embodiment of the present invention comprises a screw thread rolling machine of standard type, such as shown in Wilcox Patents No. 1,584,263 of May 11, 1926, and No. 1,798,919 of March 31, 1931, for which is provided a self-contained, self-powered attachment by which said machine may be adapted for the production of permenently assembled screw and washer units. Auxiliary elements hereinafter described may be provided by way of refinement of the standard machine to facilitate adjustment of the machine to accommodate the attachment and to improve the operation of such machine. This attachment preferably comprises a combined washer hopper and washer feed mechanism 2 and assembly mechanism 4, a driving mechanism 6 and a common mounting means 8 for the combined washer hopper and feed mechanism 2, the assembly mechanism 4 and the driving mechanism 6.

The screw thread rolling machine comprises a main base or pedestal I 0; an auxiliary bas or body l2 secured to or formed integrally with the base I9 and inclined at an angle of approximately thirty degrees to the horizontal; a hopper M for receiving a mass of screw blanks; a screw blank feeding mechanism It for discharging blanks from the hopper 14 onto the guide chute l8; a pair of thread rolling dies 20 and 22 (Fig. 4) a starter mechanism 24 and a transfer mechanism 26 and a driving mechanism, parts only of which are shown, for driving the screw blank feed mechanism IS, the movable thread rolling die 22, the starter mechanism 24 and the transfer mechanism 26.

The hopper and feed mechanism for the screw blanks As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the hopper i4 and feed mechanism 16 for the screw blanks comprise a hopper casting 28 bolted to an auxiliary block 36 which is provided to raise the level of the casting 28 and the upper portion of the guide chute !8. The block 30 is adiustably mounted on the standard hopper supporting casting 32 for adjustment at right angles to the guide chute iii. The casting 32 is adjustably mounted upon a casting 34 for adjustment of the hopper casting and the upper portion of the guide chute parallel to the plane of inclination of the guide chute. The casting 34 is mounted upon the rear of the base or pedestal H1 in a manner to permit adjustment of the casting 34, the hopper casting 28 and the upper portion of the guide chute vertically at right angles to the guide chute.

The guide chute l8 which may comprise the guide bars of the standard machine rearranged in accordance with the following description, or which may comprise substitute guide bars attachable to the standard machine in the following manner, comprises an upper section and a lower section 38, each of which sections comprises a pair of laterally spaced bars, the bars of the upper section being indicated by the reference numerals 4D and 42 and the bars of the lower section being indicated by the reference numerals 44 and 46. The upper section 36 of the guide chute I8 is carried by the hopper casting 28, the outer bar being fastened to the hopper casting as by bolts or the like 48 securing the bar 40 to the arm or bracket 50 projecting forwardly from the hopper casting 28. The bar 42 is bolted at its upper end to a plate 52 adjustably mounted as by bolts 54 passing through enlarged openings in the plate to the hopper casting 28, which casting carries an adjustable screw 56 by which the plate 52 and the bar 42 may be adjusted relative to the casting. The bars 40 and 42 of the upper section are supported relatively adjacent their lower ends upon a U-shaped portion 58 (Figs. 1, 5, 21, and 23) of a bracket 50 secured to or forming a part of the common mounting means 3, the bar 40 being adjustably secured to the portion 58 by a screw 6 I.

The inner bar 46 is preferably beveled or tapered as shown in Fig. 4, being of greater width at its upper end than at its lower end so as to provide the proper operating clearance between the assembly mechanism and the plate 62 covering the starter mechanism. If desired, the usual guide bar of rectangular configuration in plan view may be employed with suitable wedges being provided for insertion between the inner wall of the guide bar and the outer wall of the adjustable bracket 64 (Figs. 5, 7 and 8) upon which this uide bar is bolted or otherwise secured. The bracket 64 is adjustably mounted upon the shelf 68 of the auxiliary base or body I2 as by a bolt or bolts 68 received in an enlarged opening or openings in the bracket and threaded into the shelf 65. The outer guide bar 44 of the lower section 38 is adjustably mounted in proper spaced relation to the bar 46 and to facilitate adjustment of the outer bar relative to the inner bar,

there may be provided the wedge blocks 1% and I2 (Figs. 8 and 9), the wedge block 10 being bolted or otherwise fastened to the inner surface of the bar 44 and the wedge block [2 being interposed between the wedge block Ill and the vertical wall of the bracket 64. The wedge block .12 is provided with a slot or slots 14 for receiving an attaching bolt or bolts IS. Upon loosening of the bolt or bolts 15, the wedge block I2 may be forced longitudinally in one or the other direction relative to the wedge block Ill so as to move the bar 34 toward or from the bar 45.

A cover plate 18 overlies each section of the guide chute I8 so as to extend over the heads of the screw units in each of the sections of this guide chute. To facilitate proper adjustment of the cover plates to accommodate screws having difierent size heads, there may be provided a strap or straps 80 for each section of the guide chute, the strap or straps 88 (Figs. 1 and 8) being each secured to the outer guide bar as by a screw 32. Each strap 8 carries a pin or bolt 84 having a portion 86 rotatably received in a circular opening in the strap and a shank portion 88 eccentric to the portion 88 and passing through an opening in the cover plate It. A spacer strip 59 may be received on the pin or bolt 84 between the cover plate 58 and the strap Ell. Upon rotation of the pin or bolt 84 a very fine vertical adjustment of the cover plate relative to the guide bars may be eifected. The pin or bolt is clamped in adjusted position by a nut 92 received on the threaded free end thereof.

Screw blanks are fed from the mass in the-horn per if; onto the upper section 38 of the guide chute It by a reciprocating plate 94 slidably mounted in guideways formed in the hopper casting. The plate 9% is operated by a driving mechanism which includes a crank disc 95 connected to the plate 94 by a link or pitman I38. In raising the hopper casting by the insertion of a block 3i], it becomes necessary to substitute a pitman of shorter length and such pitman may therefore be supplied with the attachment for the conversion of the standard thread rolling machine.

A clearing device H99 of conventional structure insures an interrupted procession of blanks down the upper section of the guide chute and prevents clogging of the passage from the hopper. It comprises a power actuated shaft H12 driving the clearing wheel or ratchet 294 by means of pulleys I95 and belt m3. The clearing wheel it is carried by a shaft Ill in turn carried by a bracket IIZ adjustably secured as by bolt H4 to the forwardly projecting arm 59 of the hopper casting so that the clearing wheel ma be ad justed toward and from the guide bars ii] and 42 to accommodate screws having heads of difierent sizes.

In order to facilitate free gravitational movement of the screws along the upper section of the guide chute, a percussive means or device I I4 (Fig. 3) may be provided. This device may comprise a hammer or vibrator I 56 slidably mounted in the sleeve H8 having attaching flange I253 fastened to the inner guide bar 42, the sleeve H8 carrying the pin I22 received in a slot I24 formed in the hammer I [6 to limit the movement of the hammer. A coil spring 525 received in an opening in the hammer bears at one end against an upstanding wall I28 of the auxiliary base or body IE or a bracket carried by this auxiliay base and urges the hammer toward the guide bar 62. The hammer is periodically moved away from the guide bar 2 to compress the spring 12% by a pulley I38 driven by the belt I88 and having axially projecting pins I32 having beveled ends engaging radially projecting pins I34 carried by the hammer I I6. The percussive device H4 acts as a continuously operated hammer, periodically striking the inner guide bar 62 with sufficient force to cause a vibration of this guide bar or the screw blanks therein to facilitate the free movement of the blanks down the guide chute.

The hopper and the feed mechanism for the washers As shown in Figs. 1, i, 6, and 10 to 20, the washer hopper comprises a tubular shell or casting I36, the bottom wall of which hopper is formed by a rotary disc I38 having a plurality of angularly spaced outwardly opening notches or recesses M0 extending radially with respect to the axis of the disc, and it should be noted that the hopper is positioned in juxtaposition to the guide chute I3 and that a portion of the shell S36 is cut away to permit the disc I38 to successively position washers on the lower section 38 of the guide chute relatively adjacent its upper end and in central alignment with the way or channel defined by the guide bars M and 48. The tubular shell i36 may be secured to'a hollow, generally cylindrical member or housing I 42 as by angularly spaced screws or bolts I44 (Fig. 14;). A ring 1% having a hardened smooth upper surface rotatably supports the peripheral portion of the disc I33 and is secured in any convenient manner to the housing Hi2. It will be noted that the ring I46 extends beneath the washer receiving notches of the disc I38 so as to hold the washers in these notches as against downward movement and guide the washers during the rotation of the disc. The upper surface of the ring 56 lies in the same plane with the upper edges of the guide bars 44 and 46 of the lower section 38 of the guide chute and the ring is circumferentiaily relieved (Fig. 14) to receive the upper end portions of these guide bars M and 5 so that the disc I38 carries the washers from the surface of the ring onto the surface of the guide bars at their upper ends. A sleeve I55 having a hardened smooth inner surface is interposed between the housing M2, the ring M36, the disc Hi8 and the tubular shell I36 so as to facilitate the carrying of the washers around the inner wall of the washer hopper without wear or injury thereto as the disc is rotated.

The housing M2 is slidably mounted for adjustment toward and from the guide chute I8 on the shelf I52 (Figs. 1, 4, 6, 10, 14 and 21) of the bracket i5 5 which forms the common mounting means 8. The bottom end wall I56 of the housing I l: is, supported upon the surface of the shelf I52 and is received between the upstanding guide flanges 158 of the shelf I52. Screws I66 threaded into the bottom wall I56 are received within the enlarged openings or slots I62 in the shelf. I52 and retain the housing in adjusted position. An adjusting screw I64 carried by the upstanding lug or boss I66 formed on the shelf I52 is received in a threaded opening in an outwardly projecting lug or boss I68 formed upon the housing I42 so that upon manipulation of the screw, the housing and parts carried thereby may be moved toward and from the guide chute so that the center of the washers positioned at the upper end of the lower section of the guide chute will be aligned with the longitudinal center lines of both the upper and the lower sections of the guide chute.

The bracket I54 is supported upon the auxiliary base or body I2 by the depending reenforcing portion I18 of the shelf I52 bearing upon the shelf 66 of the auxiliary base or body I2 and is secured thereto as by screws .I12, the bracket I54 having a depending portion I14 extending in overlapping relation to the outer vertical wall surface of the auxiliary base or body I2 and carrying adjustable set screw I16 bearing against this surface of the auxiliary base and secured in adjusted position as by clamping nut I18. Side flanges I88 of the depending portion I14 of the bracket provide reenforcing webs for the shelf portion I52 of the bracket. The bracket I54 is additionally provided with a rearwardly extending flange I82 (Fig. 6) overlapping an inwardly extending vertical wall surface I84 (Fig. 1) of the auxiliary base or body and. to which rearwardly extending flange the bracket 68 supporting the lower ends of the guide bars 48 and 42 may be secured, as shown in Fig. 21.

The disc I38 is interposed between a collar I86 (Fig. 10) and a ratchet and index wheel I88, to which collar and ratchet the disc is secured for simultaneous rotation as by pins I98. The disc I38, the collar I86 and the ratchet I88 are journalled upon a sleeve I92 on which they are held against axial movement by an annular shoulder I94 of the sleeve and an adjustable collar I96 threaded on the upper end of the sleeve. Springs I91 received in ang-ularly spaced openings in the surface of the ratchet, engage the disc I38 to raise the same from the ratchet whereby to facilitate removal of the disc upon removal of the collar I96. The sleeve I92 is in turn journalled upon the upper hub portion I98 of a cam 288 in turn journalled upon a fixed stud shaft 282. The stud shaft 282 is mounted in the boss 284 formed in the bottom wall I56 of the housing I42 and is secured thereto as by the set screw 286. The worm wheel 288 journalled on the stud shaft 282 is driven by a worm 2I8 keyed to a shaft 2I2, the worm wheel 288 being connected to the cam 288 by the key or splined connection 2I4. The shaft 2I2 is journalled by a sleeve 2I6 (Fig. 14) in the inwardly projecting boss 2I8 formed with or secured to the housing I42 and by an anti-friction roller bearing 228 and the bushings 222 and 224 in inward y p oje g boss 226 and in outwardly projecting boss 228 formed upon or secured to the housing I42. The shaft 2I2 with the worm 2! attached and the roller bearing 228 mounted thereon may be inserted into the housing through an opening 238 extending through the bosses 228 and 228. A sleeve 232 with the bushing 222 press-fitted thereto is then inserted into the opening 238, and this sleeve is formed with a plate 234 bolted to the boss 228 and into which plate is press-fitted the bushing 224. The shaft 2I2 is driven by an electric motor 236 (Fig. 1) mounted upon one of the flanges I88 and/or the flange I82 of the bracket I54. The motor is connected to the shaft 2I2 by a belt 238 passing about a pulley 248 secured to the motor shaft and a pulley 242 secured to the outer end of the shaft 2 I 2.

The ratchet Wheel or index plate I88 is intermittently driven by a dog or pawl 244 (Fig. 14) journalled in one end on a pivot pin 246. The pin 246 is in turn pivotally received in one end of a lever 252, the hub portion 254 of which is journalled upon a cylindrical bearing member or sleeve 256 having an enlarged adjusting head of preferably hexagonal configuration. The bearing 258 is eccentrically bored to receive a threaded mounting stud 268 threaded into the bottom wall I56 of the housing and having an enlarged slotted head 262 to retain the bearing 258 against axial movement and to permit the bearing to be adjusted eccentrically about the axis of the stud 268 by applying a suitable tool to the adjusting head 258 of the bearing. The hub portion 254 of the lever 252 is also formed with angularly spaced arms 253 and 255, the arm 255 carrying a roller or cam follower 258 engaging the surface of the cam 280.

The roller or cam follower 258 is held in engagement with the surface of the cam 288 and the tooth of the pawl 244 is held in engagement with a tooth of the ratchet Wheel or index plate I88 by an adjustable coil spring 26I hearing at one end against the end of the lever arm 253 and anchored at its other end to a bracket 265 secured to the housing I42. The lever arm 253 carries at its outer end a pin 261 received in the slotted end of a rod 269 pivoted to the bracket 265. The spring 26I embraces the rod 269 and is interposed between a nut 21I threaded on one end of the rod and a collar 213 slidably mounted on the rod and held by the spring in engagement with the lever arm 253.

A coil spring 262 is anchored at one end as by the pin 264 to a projecting lug 266 formed upon the pawl, the other end of the coil spring 262 being anchored as by a pin 268 to an indexing pawl or dog 218. The indexing pawl or dog 218 is pivotally mounted at one end upon the bearing 212 eccentrically bored to receive the threaded mounting stud 214 having an enlarged slotted head retaining the bearing member against axial movement and detachably securing the clamping member to the bottom wall I55 of the housing I42. The peripheral surface of the bearing memher 212 beneath the pawl 218 may be provided with tool receiving notches or radial openings by which the bearing member may be rotated about the eccentric axis of the mounting stud so as to bring the tooth of the indexing pawl into proper mating relation with the teeth of the ratchet or index wheel I88.

The worm wheel 288 which drives the cam 288 also through this cam drives a second cam 216 (Fig. 10) which drives the assembly mechanism as will subsequently appear. The cam 216 is journalled on the upper end of the fixed stud shaft 282 and is held against axial movement on the stud shaft by resting at its lower isurface upon the hub portion I98 of the cam 288 and the sleeve I82 and by a screw or bolt 218 having an annular flange 288 overlying the upper end of the stud shaft and the hub portion of the cam 216. The screw 218 is centrally bored as at 282 throughout its entire length to permit lubricant to be injected into the axial opening 284 in the stud shaft, which axial opening communicates with a diametrical opening 288 by which the lubricant passes to a radial opening 288 in the hub I98 of the sleeve and an axial surface groove 298 in the stud shaft by which last groove lubricant is supplied to the internal bearing surface of the worm wheel 288 and the cam 268. The radial opening 268 communicates with a surface groove 292 in the hub portion I98 of the cam 288, by which groove the lubricant is supplied to the external and internal bearing surfaces of the cam and the sleeve I32.

Means are provided in association with the washer feeding means for preventing operation of the latter if the lower section 38 of the guide chute becomes filled with assembled screw blank and washer units, or if said units become jammed in this lower section of the guide chute. This means for preventing operation of the washer feeding units comprises a sensing device 23% (Figs. 10, 11, and 16) including a strip or bar 286 received in and passing through an opening 298 (Figs. 5, 11., 15 and 16) in the outer guide bar 44. The strip or bar 296 is adjustably mounted on a lever 360 as by screws 382 carried by the lever and received in elongated openings or slots 384 in the strip 236. The lever 366 is provided with an arm 386 forming in effect an extension of the strip 236 and seated within a circumferential notch or recess 388 in a pawl or dog controlling ring 3 I 8, the ring 3 I 8 being received in an annular groove in the hub portion of the ratchet or index wheel I38 and loosely journalled thereon. The under surface of the arm 366 of the lever 338 is cut away to clear the teeth of the ratchet I83. The ring 3I6 is formed with an outwardly ex tending portion 3I2 having a notch 3M in which sits a pin 3I6 secured to the outer toothed end of the dog or pawl 244. A coil spring 3i3 seated in an opening in the lever 388 and bearing at one end against the wall of the housing I32 normally urges the lever to the position shown in Fig. 15 wherein the arm 386 is seated in the notch 363 of the ring 318. Upon movement of the pawl 234 about the periphery of the ratchet in a clockwise direction under the action of the earn 268, the pin 3I6 causes the ring 3I6 to rotate in a clockwise direction, thereby causing the lever 366 and the strip 296 to rotate in a clockwise direction about the pivot pin 323 of the lever until the arm 386 clears the notch 368 and the tooth of the pawl 244 is positioned so that upon movement in the opposite direction about the periphery of the ratchet, it will engage a ratchet tooth and cause a counterclockwise feeding movement thereof. The strip 296 in moving clockwise about the pivot pin 328 moves through the opening 288 in the guide bar 46 and projects across the guide channel formed by this guide bar and the guide bar 46. If the lower section 33 of the guide chute is filled with assembled units, or if assembled units have become jammed in this section of the guide chute, the shank of a screw blank will project in the path of movement of the strip 266 and hence hold this strip against clock wise movement. The arm 386 of the lever 386 is thereby held in the notch 363 and the ring 3P6 is consequently held against movement. Ac-

cordingly when the pawl 245% is operated by the earn 288, the ring 3I6 will cause the tooth end of the pawl to move outwardly rather than peripherally of the ratchet so that it will not be positioned to engage the next tooth of the ratchet, but upon movement in the opposite direction will merely fall into the same tooth space it occupied previously and hence no feeding movement of the ratchet will take place when the shank of the screw blank prevents clockwise movement of the strip 296.

Adjustable means are provided for facilitating the movement of the washers from the surface of the ring I46 to the surface of the guide bars 46 and 46 and for facilitating the return of the washers from the upper surface of the guide bars to the upper surface of the ring if no screw blank is fed by the assembly mechanisminto assembled relation with a washer at the upper ends of these guide bars. This means comprises a wedge 322 (Fig. 15) slidably mounted in a groove in the ring I66 so that the surface of the wedge lies flush with the surface of the ring and the surfaces of the guide bars 43 and 46 and this wedge is adjustably secured to an inwardly projecting portion of the wall of the tubular housing M12 as by a screw 324 secured to this inwardly projecting wall portion and received in an elongated slot 326 in the wedge 322. The wedge 322 provides readily adjustable means for supporting the washers as they move from the surface of the ring M6 to the surfaces of the guide bars 44 and 46 and compensate for the usual manufacturing tolerances. The wedge plate also facilitates an adjustment of the washer feeding mechanism to accommodate washers of different sizes, for as the external diameter of the washers increases, the housing I42 with the ring I46 and the disc I38 must be adjusted outwardly relative to the inner guide bar 46 as illustrated in Figs. 16 to 18. A plate 328 adjustably secured to an inwardly projecting portion of the tubular wall of the housing I42, as by screws 338 received in elongated slots 332 in this plate, abuts the outer edge of the guide bar 44 and the edge 33 4 of the ring I46 and lies above the lever 368 and the strip 296 with its upper surface flush with the upper surfaces of the bars 44 and 46 and the ring I46. This plate 328 provides readily adjustable means for facilitating the movement of Washers from the upper surfaces of the guide bars to the surface of the ring I46 so that washers with which screws have not been assembled at the upper ends of the guide bars will be returned to the washer hopper.

It sometimes occurs that a washer in a notch I46 of the washer feed disc I38 becomes interlocked with another washer so that the two washers are fed together to the point of assembly, one

washer being superimposed upon the other as shown in Fig. 13. There is accordingly provided means to prevent feeding of more than one washer at a time to the point of assembly and in the illustrative embodiment this means comprises a plurality of angularly spaced bars or wiper strips 336 (Figs. 4, 10, 16, 19 and 20). The wiper strips 336 are mounted upon an arcuate bar 338 fastened to the hopper shell I36 as by screws 348, the strips 336 extending downwardly at an angle in the direction of movement of the washer feeding disc I38 and terminating at their lower edges just above the surface of the-disc so as to engage washers superimposed upon the washers in the notches I40 and break the superimposed washers loose from the washers in these notches. Clamping screws 342 by which these wiper strips are mounted upon the arcuate bar 338 cooperate .with the bar 338 to frictionally hold the wiperstrips against upward deflection. Preferably, the dis.- tances between the washer feeding disc "and the lower edges of the wiper strips aregraduated in the direction of movement of the disc, the first wiper strip being spaced the greatest distance from the" surface of the disc and the last wiper strip being spaced the smallest distance so that the graduatedforce will be applied to the superimposed washers, the first wiper strip removing the more loosely held superimposedwashers and the last Wiper strip removing the most tightly held or interlocked washers from the washers properly positioned in the notches of the feeding disc. If desired, this graduated effect may be increased by more tightly clamping successive washer strips to the arcuate bar so that the first wiper strip may be more or less readily deflected while the last wiper strip is substantially undefiected by the superimposed washers.

The washer feeding means operates as follows: Washers are dumped into the hopper shell I38 upon the surface of the washer feeding disc which forms the bottom wall of the hopper, the washers gravitating to a predominant mass positioned against the forward and lower portion of the wall of the hopper shell. Washers from this mass fall into the notches I40 of the feeding disc and rest upon the surface of the ring I 46 along which they are moved in interrupted or intermittent movement by the washer feeding disc and are carried in succession to the point of assembly at the upper ends of the guide bars 44 and 48 forming the lower section 38 of the guide chute l8. Interrupted or intermittent movement of the washer feeding disc is effected by the cam 200 and the spring 26I. approaches the cam roller 250, the lever 252 is caused to move in a counterclockwise direction and the pawl 244 is moved against the action of the spring 26I in a direction to move freely about the ratchet I88 a distance of one ratchet tooth. As the high point of the cam recedes from the cam roller, the lever 252 and the pawl 244 are moved by the spring 26I in the opposite direction, the tooth of the pawl engaging a ratchet tooth and causing a counterclockwise movement of the ratchet a distance of one tooth. The index pawl 210 is so adjusted that it engages between adjacent teeth of the ratchet at the proper instant to position the feeding disc attached to the ratchet precisely at the point at which the center of a notch I40 of the disc is held at the point of assembly. If the lower section of the guide chute becomes substantially filled with assembled screw blank and washer units or if such units become jammed in this section of the guide chute, operation of the washer feeding means will be prevented as previously described. When the strip 296 again becomes free to move across the guide channel, operation of the washer feeding means is automatically resumed as will be apparent.

The assembly mechanism As shown in Figs. 1, 4, 6, 21, 22 and 26 to 34, the assembly mechanism comprises a strap or bracket 344 of substantially inverted U-shape, detachably secured as by screws 346 to the flanges I58 of the casting I54 and a second bracket 348 is mounted on the bracket 344 for adjustment toward and from the guide chute I8, the bracket 348 being secured to the strap 344 as by a screw 35!! carried by the strap and received in an enlarged opening or slot in the base of the bracket 348. An assembly head 352 is carried by the outer tubular end portion 354 of a casting or bracket 356 having arms 358 diverging from the tubular portion 354 and terminating in parallel arm portions 360 embracing the bracket 348 and mounted thereon by a pin or rod 362 fastened to spaced upstanding arms of the bracket 348. The casting 356 is additionally secured to the bracket 348 as by a bolt 364 (Figs. 21. and 22) threaded into the bracket and passing through the web 366 of the casting 358.

The assembly head 352 comprises a tube or sleeve 368 (Figs. 6, 26, 33. and 34) slidably As the high point of the cam mounted in the tubular portion 354 of the head carrying casting 356 and embracing a slide rod or plunger 310 relatively slidable within the sleeve 368. The plunger 310 is provided with a reduced upper portion or rod 312 formed integrally with or secured to the plunger. The rod 312 passes through a cap nut 314 received on the threaded upper end of the tube 368, the rod 312 carrying at its upper end adjustable movement limiting and clamping nuts 316 and 318 and the nut 318 in the upper position of the assembly head is spaced a, predetermined distance above the cap nut 314. Below the cap nut 314 the tube 368 carries an adjustable movement limiting and clamping nut or sleeve 38!] which is adapted upon the downward movement of the assembly head to engage a washer 382 encircling the tube 368 and positioned upon a cap nut 384 carried by the upper end of the tubular portion 354 and clamped in adjusted position by the nut or threaded sleeve 386. A coil spring 388 embraces the rod 312 and is housed within the upper portion of the tube 368, the spring 388 being interposed between the enlarged portion or head of the plunger 31D and the cap nut 314. Upward movement of the tube 368 relative to the tubular portion 354 is limited by the engagement of an end of the shoulder 39!] of the tube with the cap nut 384. Adjacent its lower portion the tube 368 is provided with an internal thread mating with an external thread of a sleeve or tubular member 392 (Figs. 26, 28, 33 and 34). The sleeve or tubular member is provided with diametrically disposed axially extending slots or grooves 394 for receiving the shank portions 396 of jaw members 388.

The jaw members 398 are provided at their lower ends with jaws 4139 adapted to support the heads of the screw blanks successively fed to the jaw members and having notches 402 for receiving and clamping the shanks of the screw blanks to the jaw members. As will be seen from Fig. 29, the shape of the notches 482 is such that the outer edges 464 of the jaws are spaced apart a lesser distance than the inner edges 466 of the jaws so that when the. inner edges are spaced apart sufiiciently to permit the shank of a screw blank to pass therebetween, the edges 484 are spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of the screw shank and prevent the screw from falling through the jaws from the upper section of the guide chute. Each jaw member 398 is fulcrumed on the sleeve 392 by a protuberance 488 of circular configuration received in a notch 4Ifl extending inwardly from the bottom of the slot 394. The jaw members are held in assembled position with the sleeve 392 by a coiled band spring 4I2 embracing the sleeve and the jaw members and seated in notches 414 at the upper ends of the jaw members.

A sleeve 4| 6 which determines the opening movement of the jaw members as the assembly head approaches its upper limit of movement is secured to the fixed tubular portion 354 for micrometric adjustment relative thereto by opposed set screws M8 and 420 having frusto-conical end portions received in frusto-conical openings or notches 422 and 424 respectively in the surface of the sleeve M6. The internal surface of the sleeve M6 at its lower end is tapered outwardly as at 426 and is adapted to engage the outer edge of the head portion 428 of each -jaw member so that as the assembly head apassembly head the heads 328 of the jaw members causethe jaw members to fulcrum relative to the sleeve 392 about the protuberances 4G8 and thereby move the jaws apart a predetermined distance to the proper position to receive the foremost screw blank from the upper section 38 of the guide chute l8. The jaw members 398 are moved to closed position by a coil spring 439 embracing the lower portion of the sleeve 392 and a sleeve 332 slidably mounted on the sleeve 392 and interposed between an annular flange 43 3 of the sleeve 392 and an annular flange 435 formed at the bottom of the sleeve 432, the annular flange 436 bearing upon the upper edges of the heads 128 of the jaw members 398 outwardly of the fulcruming protuberances 488 so that the jaw members are maintained in engagement with the tapered surface 426 of the fixed sleeve die and are urged toward each other to clamp the screw blank between the jaws Mill. The jaw members 398 are moved to full open position as the assembly head approaches its lower limit of movement by an adjustable stop provided by an annular internal shoulder @533 formed in an externally threaded sleeve Mil received by the internally threaded lower portion of the tubular portion 354 of the head supporting casting 356. The heads 323 of the jaw members are provided with outwardly extending lugs or the like 44?.

which preferably are formed with convex outer edges slidably contacting the internal wall of the sleeve Mil above the shoulder 333. As the assembly head approaches its lower limit of movement, the heads 228 of the jaw members engage the shoulder G38 and consequently as the sleeve 38? of the assembly head continues its downward movement, the jaw members are rotated oppositely to full open position, releasing the shank of the screw element and per mitting the head thereof to pass downwardly between the jaws 50b.

The sleeve M8 at its lower end is formed with an annular shoulder M4 having a knurled periphery and angularly spaced radial openings M6 to facilitate adjustment of the sleeve relative to the tubular portion 354 of the support casting. The cap nutsS'M and 384 as well as the clamping nuts or collars 38%] and 386 are similarly provided with a knurled periphery and similar angularly spaced radial tool receiving openingsfor facilitating adjustment of these devices. A similar clamping nut or collar M3 maintains the sleeve 440 in adjusted position.

The plunger all] is slidably received in an enlarged bore in the upper portion of the sleeve 392 and is provided with a plunger rod 4500f a reduced diameter slidably received in the reduced bore of the lower portion of the sleeve 392. The rod 450 extends substantially below the sleeve 382 and in the upper position of the is spaced a slight distance above the head of the screw resting upon the jaws 400. The distance between this rod and the head of the screw resting on the jaws We is substantially equal to the distance between the nut 318 on the rod 312 and the cap nut 3l4 when the assembly head is in its upper limit of movement.

The assembly head is operated by the previously mentioned cam 216 mounted on the upper end of the stationary shaft 282 of the washer feeding means, the cam 215 being driven by the cam 200 to the hub of which the cam 215 is splined as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 10. The cam 216 is formed with an upper cam surface having two active portions, one of which raises a plunger rod 452, and the other of which permits lowering of the plunger rod, and two dwell portions, one of which maintains the plunger in its upper position for a given period, and the other of which allows the plunger to remain in its lower position for another given period.

The plunger 452 is slidably mounted in a bushing e54 (Fig. 22) formed with the shelf portion :56 of the head supporting casting 356. A lever- 458 pivotally mounted on the pin 332 carried by the bracket 348 is raised by the plunger 452 through an adjustable set screw 46!? secured in adjusted position by clamping nut M2 and is lowered by a coil spring 45 1 anchored at one end to a pin M56 carried by an arm 358 of the'head supporting casting 356 and at its other end the spring is anchored to a pin G68 projecting inwardly in a tube HO press-fit ed or otherwise secured at its lower end to the lever 358. The tube file permits the use of a relatively large spring 4% notwithstanding the relatively close position of the lever with respect to the casting A ball headed pin M2 (Figs. 26, 33 and 34) is press-fitted into the free end of the lever 358 and is seated in a slot ilt in the enlarged portion of the rod or plunger are. he head 416 of the pin ll? may be formed with flat side surfaces and the slot Md may therefore take a rectangular configuration. The pin 112 passes through relatively elongated slots 37% and 430 in the tubular portion 354 of the head support ing casting 355 and the tube or sleeve 3E8 respectively.

The assembly mechanism operates as follows:

- The carnZfiil of the washer feeding means is driven in a clockwise direction (Figjl l) to effect, through the spring 25!, interrupted or intermittent movements of the washer feeding disc I38 in a counterclockwise direction, each revolution of the cam 290 effecting movement of the washor feeding disc an angular distance corresponding to the distance between successive washer receiving notches. For each revolution of the cam 299, the cam 2l6 also makes a single revolution, and since the assembly head must necessarily make one complete cycle of movement for each revolution of the cam 276, the head therefore completes one cycle of movement for each interrupted movement of the washer feeding disc. The washer feeding disc having positioned a washerat the upper ends of the guide bars forming the lower section of the guide chute and holding the washers stationary on these guide bars, the plunger 352 is permitted by the cam 216' to move to its lower position so that the spring 455 carries the lever $53 with its ball headed pin 412 to its lower position. In moving from its upper to its lower position, this lever 458 by means of the pin 412 first causes the plunger 319 to move downwardly-a limited distance relative to the tube 358 until the nut 3l8 engages the cap nut 3M. When this occurs the plunger rod 55%} engages the head of a screw positioned on the jaws 40! of the jaw members 398 and therefore holds the screw blank against shifting or tilting with respect to'the jaws. The nut 318 having contacted the cap nut Bi l, the tube 368 thereafter moves downwardly with the plunger are and consequently the jaw members 3&8 also move downwardly with the plunger. In the preliminary portion of the downward movement of these jaw members, their heads G28 move along the internal tapered surface 626 of the sleeve M6 and the coil spring 138 accordingly moves these jaw members toward each other so that the shank of the screw blank is clamped in the notches 402 of the jaws 400. As the lever 458 approaches its lower limit of movement, the heads 428 of the jaw members engage the annular shoulder 43B of the tube 440 and as the plunger rod 310 and the tube 368 continue their downward movement, the jaw members are ro tated by this shoulder in opposite directions to full open position as shown in Fig 31, the shank of the screw blank having meanwhile been inserted through the aperture in the washer positioned at the upper end of the guide bars 44 and 46. This opening movement of the jaw members may be so proportioned that in its continued downward movement the plunger 310 forces the head of the screw blank into closer juxtaposition to the upper surface of the washer after the head of a screw blank has been released by the jaws 400 as shown in Fig. 34. The screw blank having been assembled with the washer, the cam 216 causes a raising of the plunger 452 thereby to move the lever in an upward direction and tension the spring 464. It is during the consequent upward movement of the assembly head or during the time when the assembly head is resting in its upper position that the washer feeding disc is moved to carry the assembled screw blank and washer from the point of assembly and to position another washer at the point of assembly. The plunger rod 370 moves upwardly with the lever 458 and the upward movement of the plunger is transmitted to the tube 368 through the spring 388. As the heads 428 of the jaw members 398 move away from the shoulder 438, they are moved to closed position by the spring 430. As the tube 368 approaches its upper limit of movement, as determined by the engagement of the shoulder 380 with the cap nut 384, the heads 428 of the jaw members engage the internal tapered surface 426 of the sleeve M6 and are accordingly moved partially to open position to receive the next foremost screw blank from the lower end of the upper section 36 of the guide chute I8. The tube 368 completes its upward movement just before the lever 458 reaches its upper position as determined by the cam 216 and the adjustable set screw 460 and accordingly the plunger 310 continues to move a limited distance relative to the tube 358 so as to clear the head of the screw blank to permit free gravitational movement of the screw blank to position between the jaws 400.

Means are provided in cooperative association with the assembly mechanism and the washer feeding means for preventing the feeding of a screw blank if a washer has not been positioned at the point of assembly, that is, if a notch I40 arriving at the point of assembly does not enclose a washer. This means comprises a lever 482 pivoted intermediate its ends to a lug or bracket 484 formed on or secured to the wall of the tubular housing I42. The lever 482 is formed at its outer end with a plate-like portion 486 lying in a plane above the plane of the washer feeding disc I38 (Figs. 11 and 12) and carries on its lower surface a pivoted cam-like lug or finger 488 lying in the plane of the washer feeding disc, the beveled edge 490 being spaced inwardly of the outer edge 492 of the plate-like portion 486. The lever is urged in a counterclockwise direction (Figs. 16 to 18) by a coil spring 494 seated at one end in an appropriate opening not shown in the wall of the tubular housing I42 and seated at its other end in an opening 496 in an end of the lever 482. Counterclockwise movement of the lever may be limited by engagement of the lever with the wall of the hopper shell I36 or the wall of the tubular housing I42. When a washer is positioned at the point of assembly in a notch I40 of the washer feeding disc, the beveled edge 490 of the lug or piece 488 engages the periphery of a washer and maintains the plate-like portion 486 out of the path of movement of the shank of a screw blank being fed downwardly by the assembly head, as shown in Fig. 11. However, if no washer is positioned at the point of assembly during the downward feeding movement of the assembly head, the plate-like portion 486 is free to move inwardly relative to the notch of the feeding disc and is then positioned in the path of movement of a screw blank being fed downwardly by the assembly head and therefore by engaging the screw blank at its lower edge, prevents further downward feeding of the screw blank and prevents positioning of the blank in the lower section of the guide chute, as shown in Fig, 12. Since this plate-like portion 486 is engaged by the screw blank before the jaw members 398 have moved downwardly sufi'iciently to engage the angular shoulder 438 of the tube 440, the screw blank remains clamped to these jaw members and hence when the plunger 452 is subsequently moved upwardly by the cam 216, the screw blank is carried upwardly with the assembly head. It should also be noted that although when the assembly head approaches its upper limit of movement, the jaw members 398 are open, such opening movement is partial only and not sufficient to release the screw blank. Hence the screw blank remains in the jaw members until a washer is properly positioned at the point of assembly and the screw blank may then be inserted thereinto. Such stoppage of the assembly head without stoppage of the driving cam 216 is of course permitted by the spring 264.

A spring strip 495 is secured to the lower edge of the guide bar 40 and extends in overlying contacting relation with the washer feed disc I38 so as to partially overlie a washer at the assembly point oppositely to the plate-like portion 486 of the washer sensing device and thereby prevent tilting of the washer under the pressure of the spring 494, acting through the lug or piece 488. The strip 495 also extends over a portion of the feed disc in advance of the assembly point and t eref re en a e imp p ly seated washers and moves them into proper seating positions in the notches I40.

The thread rolling mechanism, the transfer mechanism, and the starter mechanism These mechanisms which form part of a standard thread rolling machine are conventional in structure and therefore it suffices to note briefly that the fixed die 28 of the thread rolling mechanism is detachably clamped to a supporting block 498 adjustably mounted on an upstanding arm 580 of the auxiliary base or body I2, and that its upper transverse edge forms with the upper transverse edge of the block 498 and the lower edge of the cover plate 62 of the starter mechanism and a slide bar guide (not shown) of the starter mechanism to form an inclined chute 502 along which the assembled screw blank and washer units ane transferred from the lower end of the lower section 38 of the guide chute I8 to the thread rolling mechanism. The reciprocat ing die 22 of the thread rolling mechanism is detachably clamped to a reciprocating bar 584 slidable in a suitable guide 506 and operated by a pitman 508 (Fig. 6) intermittently driven by the usual suitable driving mechanism of the thread rolling machine. The starter mechanism 24 comprises a. slide bar (Figs. 4, 6 land 8) h ving a its forward end a starter finger M2 for engaging the shank of the screw blank positioned between the upper end. of the die 20 and the lower end of the die 22 so that upon forward movement of the starter bar 5H0, the screw blank will be firmly forced into engagement with the thread rolling surfaces of the dies 20 and 22. The starter bar 24 i reciprocated in timed relation to the die 22 by the usual or suitable driving mechanism of the thread rolling machine. The transfer mechanism 26 comprises a reciprocating member 5M, moved in an outward direction by any suitable mechanism such as a cam 516 engaging the cam roller 518 operatively connected to the reciproeating member 514 and moved inwardly by the coil spring 520. The reciprocating member 5M carries an adjustable transfer flnger 522 which engages the shank of the screw blank positioned at the intersection of the chute l8 and 502 and in the inward movement of the member 5M calrice the assembled screw blanks and washer units to the thread rolling dies. A thin strip 524 may be secured to the lower end of the outer guide bar M and extend over the outer end of the guide chute 592 so as to facilitate movement of the as;- sembled screw blank and washer units from the chute [8 to the chute 5532, the strip 526 lyin flush with the upper surf-ace of the bar 44.

Operation of the machine The operation of the machine will be apparent from the description heretofore given of the construction and operation of the several mechanisms. It suffices therefore to set forth briefly the cooperative functioning of these several mechanisms. In the operation of the machine shown in Figs. 1 to 34, screw blanks are fed from the hopper M by the reciprocating plate 94 to the upper section 36 of the inclined guide chute iii. The continuously operating clearing wheel I M controls the passage of the screws down the guide chute as previously described. From the lower end of the upper section 36 of the guide chute, the screw blanks are gravitationally fed in individual succession into the. jaws dill) of the jaw members 398 which when the assembly head is in its upper limit of movement, are positioned just slightly below the plane of theupper edges of the guide bars 22. Upon downward movement of the assembly head, a screw blank is carried downwardly in a path extending at right angles to the two sections of the guide chute so that the shank of the screw blank is inserted in the central aperture of a lock washer positioned on the upper end of the lower section 33 of the guide chute and held against movement by the washer feeding disc I3fi during insertion of the shank of the screw blank therethrough. After the washer and screw blank have been brought into telescoping assembled relation, as shown in Fig. 24, the washer feeding disc advances the assembled unit along the lower section of the guide chute and the shank of the screw blank in engaging the inner vertical wall surface of the outer guide bar is effects the withdrawal of the assembled screw blank and washer unit from the feeding disc I38. These assembled units then gravitate down the lower section 38 of the guide chute in succession to the transverse chute 502 along which the washers are carried or pushed by the transfer mechanism 26 into the thread rolling dies 20 and 22, the lock washer resting upon the upper surface of the dies and bridging the space therebetween, so that the dies roll a thread upon th shank of a screw blank beneath the Washer, and in the process of formation the surface material of the blank is projected outwardly and the external diameter of the thread of the finished screw is greater than the diameter of the shank of the original blank as shown in Fig. 25, whereby the thread permanently retains the lock washer in assembled relation with the screw. If the lower guide chute becomes filled with assembled screw blank and washer units or if such units become jammed in this lower section of the guide chute, operation of the washer feeding means is prevented. An assembled screw blank and washer unit is of course held at the point of assembly when operation of the washer feeding means is prevented and therefore upon the next succeeding downward movement of the assembly head, the head of the screw blank at this assembly point engages the lower end of a screw blank carried downwardly by the assembly head so that'feeding of additional screw blanks is also prevented.

If a washer is not carried to the point of assembly, a washer sensing device or lever 482 operates as previously described to prevent feeding of a screw blank.

Adjustment of the machine A number of adjustments are provided so that the combined washer hopper and washer feeding mechanism 2 and the assembly mechanism 4 may be readily attached to the thread rolling machine and adjusted for proper operative interrelationship, and to accommodate within certain practical limits different sizes of screw blanks and washers.

The bars 40 and 42 forming the upper section 36 of the guide chute l8 may be adjusted toward and from each other so as to be spaced apart the proper distance required by the shank diameter of the screw blanks by first adjusting the block 38 with the attached hopper casting 28 relative to the block 32, the guide bars 40 and 42 being moved simultaneously with the hopper casting 28. The carrying plate 52 (Fig. 2) for the guide bar 42 is then adjusted by a manipulation of the screw 55 to position this guide bar the proper distance from the guide bar w. Simultaneous longitudinal adjustment of the upper section of the guide chute relative to the lower section, the assembly mechanism and the washer feeding means is effected by manipulation of the adjusting screw 526 (Fig. 1) by which the casting 32 is moved along the inclined surface of the casting bland vertical adjustment of the upper section of the guide chute is accomplished by manipulation of the adjusting screw 528 by which the casting 3 i is adjusted with respect to the main base or body Hi, the adjusting screws 526 and 528 being provided with the conventional thread rolling niachine.

The inner guide bar 46 of the lower section 38 of the guide chute may be adjusted longitudinally upon release of the clamping screw 68 by moving the bracket 64 along the shelf 66 of the auxiliary base or body 52. The outer guide bar 44 of this lower section of the guide chute may be adjusted relatively toward and from the guide bar 46 upon release of the clamping screw 16 (Fig. 8) by moving the wedge 12 longitudinally in the proper direction and the necessary amount to secure the desired spacing between the bars 44 and M5 as determined by the diameter of the shank of the screw blanks to be assembled.

Adjustment of each cover plate or bar I8 for the guide chute to accommodate screw blanks having heads of difierent sizes may be accomplished upon release of the clamping nut 92 by rotating the pin 84 so that the eccentric portion 88 of the pin raises or lowers the bar 18 to the proper distance from the upper surface of the guide bars.

Adjustment of the washer feeding disc I38 toward and from the guide chute so that the centers of the washers and notches I48 will, at the assembly point, lie in the center of the space between the guide bars 44 and 46 is accomplished upon release of the clamping screws I68 by manipulation of the adjusting screw I64 which moves the housing I42 toward and from the guide chute along the shelf I52 of the common mounting means 8. The washer feeding disc I38 may accommodate washers of a limited range of sizes by substitution of a feeding disc I38 without however replacing any part of the driving mechanism for this disc, adjustment of the washer feeding means relative to the guide chute and adjustment of the assembly mechanism of course being required. The washers which are not within this limited range of sizes will requir the replacement of the washer feeding disc by a similar disc having a greater or lesser number of notches I48. Sinc in the case of washers of smaller sizes, the number of notches I48 may advantageously be increased as shown inFig. 17, the ratchet or index wheel I88 must also be replaced, for the ratchet must have one tooth for each notch in the disc I38. In the case of washers of greater size, requiring that the disc I38 have larger notches, the permissible number of notches is necessarily decreased and hence the substituted washer feeding disc must have a smaller number of larger notches, and hence a ratchet I88 having a smaller number of teeth must also be substituted. This substitution or replacement of the washer feeding disc I38 and the ratchet I88 may be readily accomplished by first removing the screw 218, after which the cam 216 may be readily removed, the nut or collar I96 removed, the disc and ratchet removed from the sleeve I82 and a replacement unit substituted therefor. In the case of the larger size washers such as shown in Fig. 18, it may also be necessary to substitute a washer sensing device or lever 482 having a larger plate-lik portion 486. For washers differing in size more than a certain amount from a median or usual" size, it may be found desirable to replace the cam 288 by a cam having a high point of greater or lesser diameter so as to obtain a greater or lesser pawl throw than can be obtained by adjustment of the sleeve 256 about the eccentric axis of the stud 268. Replacement of the cam 288 may readily be accomplished when the disc and ratchet have been removed by merely sliding the cam and the bushing I92off the upper end of the fixed shaft 282 and inserting the substituted cam thereon, with which cam another bushin I92 may be associated.

Adjustment of the index pawl 218 may be readily accomplished by rotating the sleeve 212 about the eccentric axis of the stud 2T4. Substitution of pawls 244 and 218 may be required upon replacement of the ratchet I88 for the accommodation of the washers of sizes differing more than a certain amount from the usual" size. These substitutions may be readily effected upon release of the screw headed mounting studs 268 and 214.

Adjustment of the wedge 322 and the plate 328 (Figs. 15 and 16) as may be required is readily accomplished in a manner obvious from these figures of the drawings.

Adjustment of the assembly head relative to the washer feeding means and to the guide chute so that the jaw members properly insert the screw blanks and washers and are properlyaligned with the upper and lower sections of the guide chute at the limits of movement of the assembly head 352, may be accomplished by releasing the clamping screw 358 (Figs. 21 and 22) and sliding the head supporting casting 356 inwardly or outwardly with respect to the supporting strap or bracket 344. It will be apparent that upon adjustment of the housing I42 of the washer feeding means, the assembly mechanism will be simultaneously adjusted with respect to the guide chute. However, adjustment of the assembly mechanism radially relative to the washer feeding disc is necessary not only upon installation of the attachment, but also for the accommodation of different sized washers, for as the external diameters of the washers increase, the distance between the center of a washer in a notch I48 and the center of the disc becomes less, and hence as the washer feeding means is adjusted to accommodate washers of different external diameters, the assembly head must be adjusted relatively toward and from the axis of the washer feed disc. It should be noted in this connection that in order to permit such relative adjustment of the assembly head, the cam 216 is provided with a plunger engaging cam surface which in every section taken radially of the cam extends parallel to the plane of adjustment of the bracket 348 relative to the strap 344.

The set screw 468 provides readily adjustable means for varying the upper limit of movement of the plunger rod 318 of the assembly head so that in this upper limit of movement the rod 458 will properly clear the head of a screw blank moving into the jaw members 398. Also the screw 468 allows the plunger rod to be adjusted to accommodate screw blanks having heads of different depths or thicknesses.

The extent to which the jaw members are moved as the assembly head approaches its upper limit of movement may be micrometrically adjusted by loosening one of the set screws 4I8-428 and rotating the other set screw so as to move the sleeve or tube 4I6 upwardly or downwardly relative to the tubular portion 354 of the head supporting casting 356. The adjustment having been accomplished, the loosened screw is then of course tightened to maintain the sleeve in its adjusted position. This adjustment insures that the jaws 488 in their partially opened position when the assembly head is in its uppermost position, are spaced apart properly to permit the shank of the screw blank to pass between the edges 406 of the jaws and the edges 484 are spaced apart a lesser distance to prevent the screw blank from passing through the jaws. The vertical adjustment of the sleeve 4I6 determines the position of the tapering surface 426 relative to the heads 428 of the jaw members and of course determines the extent to which the jaws are opened when the assembly head is in its uppermost position. Adjustment of the degree of opening movement of the jaw members as the assembly head approaches its lower limit of movement is readily effected upon release of the clamping nut or collar 448 by a simple rotary adjustment of the tube 448 so that the 

